


Knock Knock, Nobody's Home

by AceGhostHost



Category: Gravity Falls, ParaNorman (2012)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Mutual Pining, Possessed Norman Babcock, Possession, Swearing, Violence, and a dick, the ghost is an oc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-10-21 10:34:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20692085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceGhostHost/pseuds/AceGhostHost
Summary: Norman's growing powers draw some unwanted attention and this visitor is more than ready to keep his new ride.  Dipper has to make a tough decision to save his... friend.





	Knock Knock, Nobody's Home

“No—No, you can’t!” Dipper balled up his fists and blinked back tears that were searing the corners of his eyes. “You can’t just take him, that’s not fair!”

“Oh, you want to talk about fair?” The voice that Dipper heard did not match the voice he should have heard from that body. It was wrong. All wrong. He didn’t want to look at him when it wasn’t him. Too late. A set of fingernails dug into his jaw as Not-Norman brought Dipper’s face up to his. 

“You know what isn’t fair? Me having to use this useless body to walk around and talk to people who won’t bother to remember me. It isn’t fair that I have to wear this weakling’s face when I go around to see old buddies. They don’t even remember me because of this fucking face. They think that this fucking useless kid is pulling their legs. That’s what’s not fair. You losing this little brat? Yeah, that’s justice. This twig thought that he could go around and tell secrets that were meant to be kept? Some people are killed to keep secrets unknown. And this guy thinks he can waltz around and say things just because some pleading ghost tells him to?” As the ghost continued his rant, Norman’s features became more twisted, ghoulish. His eyes were sparking with every emphasized word and the green lightning forked in streaks across his hair. Dipper felt his own hair stand up on end as the electricity circuited through his jaw from Norman’s hand. With each flash of light, Dipper could feel not only the ghost’s hatred towards the world, but also Norman’s fear and desperation.

“You should hear him right now,” the ghost scoffed, throwing Dipper to the ground. His head hit the ground and his vision went blurry. “‘No, don’t hurt him,’” the ghost said, mimicking Norman’s voice with his own mouth, “‘please, I’ll do anything, just let him go.’ Poor choice of words kid, because ‘anything’ means I get full range of motion in this meat-sack of yours.” Norman's knee rammed into Dipper's gut and the lightning that arced from it showed only surprise and guilt, two things that he, too, happened to be feeling right now. With a grunt, Dipper managed to pull himself up into a sitting position.

“You won’t win,” he coughed out, spitting out mixture of saliva and blood onto the ground, “he’s too strong for you. You just wait, he’ll break free. You can count on that--_augh_” Norman’s knee made contact again, causing Dipper to double over and sputter.

“Yeah, doubt that, kid. He said ‘anything,’ so I took everything. See how that works?” He kicked him again and this time Dipper heard a sure crack from one of his ribs. Pain erupted in his side, but the ghost was relentless. He kicked him a few more times in different spots, then decided to throw in some punches for good measure. As soon as his fist connected with Dippers face, time seemed to slow. Green light erupted from Norman’s eyes as Dipper looked into them and it shined brighter and brighter until it was all he could see. Then he sensed Norman. He wasn’t sure how, but he could feel Norman’s presence in front of him. He reached out, but was met only by open air. _Emotions,_ Norman spoke in his mind, _the ghost is holding onto rage. I can’t anchor to rage. Try to change his emotions, that’s our only hope._ Dipper stood there in the hazy green for what seemed like hours. Our only hope. _Our._

The green light flashed and faded, but was soon replaced by the pain of his jaw being met with a heavy force. He had to think of a way out of this. He could feel his consciousness slipping as the attack eased up. The ghost was getting tired. _Or bored,_ Dipper thought through the haze. Finally, he heard the door creak partially closed and footsteps start making their way downstairs. Now was his chance! Dipper pulled himself to the door and shoved it closed, locking it for good measure. The footsteps stopped.

“Oh you've gotta be _fucking_ kidding me,” the ghost groaned, sounding more annoyed than ever.

“Norman, I know you're there!” Dipper called through the door.

“This shit again? Really?” The footsteps rounded the top of the stairs.

“I know this isn't how you wanted this summer to go. Last summer was so much fun!” He had to think fast, something to get rid of the ghost's anger. Or maybe something to overshadow it? It was a long shot, Dipper knew how he felt, but he could never really form the words to ask how Norman felt. But regardless of the outcome, he knew Norman enough to know that anger wouldn't be part of this equation. Norman's life was on the line, so he... he had to try. “Remember last summer when we found the mermaid's cove? Only it wasn't for mermaids, it was a siren's nest and I got, um, distracted?”

“Dude, I don't know what you're on about, but you better open this fucking door before I blast it to splinters.” The ghost said, fists banging against the wood.

“Well I-- I never told you what I saw because it would be super embarrassing, right? B-but I think you have the right to know!”

Electricity crackled through the door and pricked at his skin. _Confusion, wonder, fondness_.

“I... I saw us, together. Like, together together. We were sitting in the forest reading the journal a-and,” the hinges creaked under the pressure of the door threatening to cave in, “we were holding hands. And th-then w-we, um, we kissed! Just a little kiss, but i-it was nice!” The electricity prickling his skin was getting weaker. _Joy, awe, hope_. Dipper panicked feeling the sensation draw away from him. What if the ghost was leaving? He rushed to press his ear against the door and heard a few heavy steps backward followed by a loud thud, then silence. His heart hammered in his chest as he opened the door slowly, sure to be ready to slam it at a second's notice if the ghost tried to ambush him. But what he saw was Norman lying sprawled in the hallway, clothes singed, but electricity gone.

“Norman?” Dipper called softly from the doorway. “N-Norm?” Norman groaned and rolled over slowly.

“Hey, Dipper,” he said with a weak smile.

“Norman!” Dipper pulled himself to his feet as best as he could and clamored to Norman's side. “Oh god, are you okay? We need to get you to the hospital, or to Ford at the very least.” 

Norman laughed, a choked and sad laugh, “I think that's my line.”

Dipper looked down at himself and saw just how much blood had gotten on his shirt. The adrenaline was wearing off and he was feeling more tired by the second. “Yeah I guess you're right,” he said before slumping down and watching the world fade to black. 

* * * 

When Dipper came to, he was in the hospital, machines beeping and whirring around him. He had a mask over his face that smelled like plastic and alcohol wipes. Everything felt slightly out of focus, but when he looked to his right, he found what he was looking for. Norman was lying on the bed beside him, propped up slightly and looking out the window into the forest below. When he heard Dipper's heart monitor quicken, he turned around, a worried look on his face. His expression softened when he realized Dipper was awake now and looking back at him.

“Good morning,” Dipper said with a smile. Norman laughed with a little snort.

“It's four in the afternoon.”

“What!?” Dipper tried sitting up, but was immediately reminded of yesterday's events in perfect clarity. Norman winced.

“Yeah, your grunkles brought us here last night and you've been asleep ever since. Mabel's stopped in a few times, she felt bad that she was at Grenda's, but I told her not to worry. There's nothing she could have done anyways.” As he finished his thought, his expression clouded over and he turned back to the window. “I knew that my powers were getting stronger, but this? I don't know how to handle anything like this. Before I could just talk to ghosts, then Aggie was gone before I even thought to ask about hers, so I'm... kinda at a loss here.” He paused. “Hey, d-did you mean those things you said yesterday?” Dipper blinked, unsure of what he meant. “The thing about, uh, you know... the thing about the sirens?” His face flushed as he focused on one particularly interesting tree out the window.

Dipper felt a blush heat up his cheeks as he remembered the end of yesterday's fight. He'd been nearly delirious with pain and desperation, but... “Yeah,” he said, fidgeting with the edge of his sheet, “yeah I did mean it, and I did see that. I just wasn't sure how to tell you and then I didn't know how you'd feel, so I tried making plans, but none of them were working out and Mabel wasn't really any help, so I-- yeah.” He cut himself off mid-ramble and let his hands fall to his lap. Norman turned back to face him, a gentle smile on his lips.

“I like you too, Dipper.”

Dipper's heart monitor sped up and he cursed modern technology. “R-really?” He asked dumbly. “I mean, that's- wow- you? Uh... do you want to maybe go to the diner later then?”

Norman laughed a small, bubbly laugh, “Yeah, I'd like that.”

**Author's Note:**

> Bonus:
> 
> “Why do I have this heart betrayer on me when you don't?”
> 
> “Perks of waking up early! >;3c”


End file.
